(Eighth Parliament - First Session)

No. 140. ] MINUTES OF PARLIAMENT

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 9.30 a. m.

PRESENT :

Hon. , Speaker Hon. , Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees

Hon. , Prime Minister and Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. Wajira Abeywardana, Minister of Home Affairs Hon. , Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs and Minister of Lands Hon. , Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Hon. (Dr.) Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Special Assignment Hon. Gayantha Karunatileka, Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip Hon. , Minister of Finance Hon. , Minister of Higher Education and Highways and Leader of the House of Parliament Hon. , Minister of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages Hon. , Minister of Primary Industries Hon. , Minister of Sports Hon. , Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. Palany Thigambaram, Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Hon. , Minister of Agriculture Hon. , Minister of Plantation Industries Hon. S. B. Dissanayake, Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare Hon. S. B. Nawinne, Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs

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Hon. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife Hon. , Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Hon. A. D. , Minister of Science, Technology and Research Hon. , Minister of Housing and Construction Hon. , Minister of Industry and Commerce Hon. R. M. , Minister of Public Administration and Management Hon. (Mrs.) Chandrani Bandara, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Hon. , Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Minister of Disaster Management Hon. , Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development Hon. , Minister of Ports and Shipping Hon. Patali , Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Hon. (Dr.) , Minister of Justice and Minister of Buddhasasana Hon. , Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Hon. , Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. , Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Hon. W. D. J. Senewiratne, Minister of Labour and Trade Unions Relations Hon. (Dr.) , Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Hon. Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Hon. D. M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prisons Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Hon. , Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Hon. Abdul Haleem, Minister of Post, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs Hon. , Minister of Public Enterprise Development Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs Hon. Field Marshal , Minister of Regional Development

Hon. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister of Finance Hon. T. B. Ekanayake, State Minister of Lands Hon. , State Minister of Higher Education ( 3 ) M. No. 140

Hon. , State Minister of Highways Hon. , State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Hon. A. D. Premadasa, State Minister of Industry and Commerce Affairs Hon. , State Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Hon. (Mrs.) , State Minister of Child Affairs Hon. V. S. Radhakrishnan, State Minister of Education Hon. , State Minister of Defence Hon. , State Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Hon. , State Minister of Labour and Trade Unions Relations Hon. , State Minister of International Trade Hon. , State Minister of Science, Technology and Research Hon. Vasantha Senanayake, State Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Hon. M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, State Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Hon. A. H. M. Fowzie, State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation

Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Hon. , Deputy Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Hon. Faizal Cassim, Deputy Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) , Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Hon. , Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment Hon. Palitha Kumara Thewarapperuma, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Hon. (Dr.) , Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. H. R. Sarathie Dushmantha, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana Hon. Karunarathna Paranawithana, Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Hon. , Deputy Minister of Public Administration and Management Hon. Ajith P. Perera, Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy ( 4 ) M. No. 140

Hon. , Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries Hon. , Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction Hon. Nishantha Muthuhettigamage, Deputy Minister of Ports and Shipping Affairs Hon. , Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare Hon. , Deputy Minister of Public Enterprise Development Hon. , Deputy Minister of Rural Economic Affairs Hon. H. M. M. Harees, Deputy Minister of Sports

Hon. Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana Hon. Hon. Sisira Kumara Abeysekara Hon. Amarasena Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala Hon. Hon. Hon. Ranjith Aluvihare Hon. A. Aravindh Kumar Hon. Velu Kumar Hon. Nalaka Prasad Colonne Hon. Hon. Udaya Prabhath Gammanpila Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Padma Udhayashantha Gunasekera Hon. S. M. Chandrasena Hon. D. V. Chanaka Hon. Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa Hon. Jayamaha Hon. Anura Sidney Jayarathne Hon. Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardana ( 5 ) M. No. 140

Hon. Hon. Mylvaganam Thilakarajah Hon. K. Thurairetnasingam Hon. Hon. M. S. Thowfeek Hon. Hon. Hon. T. Hon. Anura Dissanayaka Hon. Hon. Wimalaweera Dissanayaka Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Mohamed Navavi Hon. Hon. I. Hon. Hon. (Dr.) Hon. K. K. Piyadasa Hon. Perera Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. (Mrs.) Hon. S. Premarathna Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad Mansoor Hon. S. M. Marikkar Hon. Hon. K. Kader Masthan Hon. Imran Maharoof Hon. Hon. ( 6 ) M. No. 140

Hon. (Prof.) Ashu Marasinghe Hon. S. C. Mutukumarana Hon. (Ven.) Hon. Hon. C. B. Rathnayake Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Mujibur Rahuman Hon. Hon. Namal Rajapaksa Hon. Hon. Hon. Hon. Vidura Wickramanayaka Hon. (Dr.) Hon. A. A. Wijethunga Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Thusitha Wijemanna Hon. Lakshman Ananda Wijemanne Hon. (Mrs.) Hon. Hon. Kanchana Wijesekara Hon. Heshan Withanage Hon. Thenuka Vidanagamage Hon. S. Viyalanderan Hon. Hon. Hon. S. Shritharan Hon. Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Hon. M. H. M. Salman Hon. Hon. Annamalai Nadesu Sivasakthi Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran ( 7 ) M. No. 140

Hon. Hon. Chathura Sandeepa Senaratne Hon. Shehan Semasinghe Hon. Hon. Hon. Herath Hon.

Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Secretary-General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Assistant Secretary-General Mr. Tikiri K. Jayathilake, Assistant Secretary-General

Parliament met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the Chair.

1. Presentation of Papers : (1) The Speaker presented,— the Oversight Plan of the Sectoral Oversight Committees in terms of paragraph 2(e) of the Resolution which was passed by Parliament on 19th December 2015. Ordered that the said Papers do lie upon the Table. (2) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented,— The Regulations made by the Minister of Lands under Paragraph (f) of Sub-section (2) of Section 63 of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 460) amending the Regulation 4(2) of the Land Acquisition (Payment of Compensation) of 2013 and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1993/26 of 18th November 2016 and moved that these Regulations be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Lands. Question put, and agreed to. (3) The Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife presented,— The Performance Report of the Department of Wildlife Conservation for the Year 2015 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Sustainable Development and Environment and Natural Resources. Question put, and agreed to. (4) The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation presented the Annual Report of the National Transport Medical Institute for the Year 2013 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Transport and Communication. Question put, and agreed to. (5) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented the Annual Report of the Shrama Vasana Fund for the Year 2012 and moved this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development. Question put, and agreed to. ( 8 ) M. No. 140 (6) The Minister of Higher Education and Highways presented the — (i) Order made by the Minister of Higher Education and Highways under Section 25A of the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978 recognizing the “S L T CAMPUS (PVT) LTD” as a Degree Awarding Institute and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1995/39 of 02nd December 2016; and

(ii) Order made by the Minister of Higher Education and Highways under Section 27(1) of the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978 on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission with regard to the establishment of a Department of Languages in the Faculty of Engineering of University of Moratuwa and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1991/44 of 03rd November 2016; and moved that these orders be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development. Question put, and agreed to.

(7) The Minister of Higher Education and Highways presented the — (i) Annual Report of the University of Peradeniya for the year 2013; (ii) Annual Report of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura for the year 2013; (iii) Annual Report and Accounts of the University of Kelaniya, for the year 2013; (iv) Annual Report & Accounts of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka for the year 2013; (v) Annual Report of the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya for the year 2013; (vi) Annual Report of the National Institute of Library and Information Sciences - University of for the year 2013; (vii) Annual Report of the Institute for Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences for the year 2013; (viii) Annual Report of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka for the year 2014; (ix) Annual Report of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka for the year 2014; (x) Annual Report & Statement of Account of the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka for the year 2014; (xi) Annual Report & Annual Accounts of the Institute of Technology, University of Moratuwa for the year 2014; (xii) Annual Reports and Annual Accounts of the Institute of Human Resource Advancement University of Colombo, Sri Lanka for the years 2013 and 2014; (xiii) Annual Reports of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, University of Kelaniya for the years 2013 and 2014; (xiv) Annual Reports of the Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies, Eastern University, Sri Lanka for the years 2013 and 2014; and (xv) Annual Reports of the University of Ruhuna for the years 2012 and 2013. and moved that these Reports be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development.

Question put, and agreed to. ( 9 ) M. No. 140 (8) The Minister of Science, Technology and Research presented the Annual Report of the Industrial Technology Institute for the Year 2014 and moved this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development.

Question put, and agreed to.

(9) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented the Annual Report of the Ceylon - German Technical Training Institute for the Year 2013 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education and Human Resources Development.

Question put, and agreed to.

(10) The Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine presented the Regulations made by the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine under Section 142 of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 5 of 2015 read with Section 118 of the said Act, relating to ceiling on prices and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1989/61 of 21st October 2016 and moved that these Regulations be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health and Human Welfare, Social Empowerment.

Question put, and agreed to.

(11) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented the— (i) Supplementary Allocations from the Supplementary Support Services and Contingent Liabilities Project appearing under Expenditure Head No. 240 of the Department of National Budget - 2016 as at 31.12.2016 under Section 6(1) of the Appropriation Act, No. 16 of 2015; (ii) Notification made by the Minister of Finance under Section 22(2) of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52) on exempting the payment of excise duty on foreign liquor imported for the purpose of re-export or to sell at duty free shops for foreign currency with effect from 04th October 2016 and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1987/5 of 03rd October 2016 (Excise Notification No. 990); (iii) Order made by the Minister of Finance under Sub-section 3 of Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007 relating to special commodity levy and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1992/27 of 10th November 2016; and (iv) Order made by the Minister of Finance under Section 10 of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) relating to import duties and published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1992/26 of 10th November 2016; and moved that these Supplementary Allocations, Notification and Orders be referred to the Committee on Public Finance.

Question put, and agreed to. ( 10 ) M. No. 140 (12) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented the Regulations made by the Minister of Industry and Commerce under Section 527 of the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007 read with Section 477 of the said Act and Regulations made under Section 19 of the Societies Ordinance (Chapter 123) No. 16 of 1891 read with the Societies Ordinance (Amendment) Act, No.11 of 2005 relating to the Companies (Fees) and Societies (Fees) and published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 1990/12 of 25th October 2016 and moved that these Regulations be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Business and Commerce. Question put, and agreed to.

(13) The Minister of Public Enterprise Development presented the Annual Report of the National Savings Bank for the year 2015 and moved this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development. Question put, and agreed to.

(14) The Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media presented the Annual Report of the State Development & Construction Corporation for the Year 2012 and moved that this Report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health and Human Welfare, Social Empowerment.

Question put, and agreed to.

(15) The Minister of Prisons Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs presented the Annual Reports & Statements of Accounts of the Rehabilitation Authority for the Years 2013 and 2014 and moved that these Reports be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Reconciliation and North & East Reconstruction.

Question put, and agreed to. 2. Petitions : (1) Hon. Gayantha Karunatileka presented a petition dated 15.11.2016 from Mr. S. Dananssuriya of No. 108, Bandarawatta, Kubaloluwa, Veyangoda.

(2) Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe presented a petition dated 10.11.2016 from Mrs. D. M. S. I. K. Dissanayake of No. 3/246, Munamale Mawatha, Negambo Road, Kurunegala.

(3) Hon. Gamini Lokuge presented a petition dated 17.11.2016 from Mr. W. A. Albert Singho of No. 504, Aluth Para, Gedabuwana, Piliyandala.

(4) Hon. Nihal Galappaththi presented a petition dated 20.07.2016 from Mrs. Kaluarachchi Kusumawathie of Temple Road, Dambadeniya.

(5) Hon. Sandith Samarasinghe presented a petition dated 03.11.2016 from Mr. A. A. Ranasinghe of No. C 3/1, Abuwangala, Imbulgasdeniya. The Petitions stood referred under Standing Order No. 25A of the Parliament, to the Committee on Public Petitions. ( 11 ) M. No. 140 3. Sittings of the Parliament (No.1) : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,—That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 7 of the Parliament and the motions agreed to by Parliament on 08.03.2016 and 09.01.2017, the hours of sittings of Parliament on Tuesday, 24th January, 2017, shall be 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.. At 10.30 a.m. Standing Order No. 7(5) of the Parliament shall operate. At 7.30 p.m. Mr. Speaker shall adjourn the Parliament without question put. Question put, and agreed to.

4. Sittings of the Parliament (No.2) : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,—That the sitting hours agreed to by Parliament on 08.03.2016 shall apply for Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th and Friday 27th of January, 2017. Question put, and agreed to.

5. Leave to introduce Bill : Hon. Anura Sidney Jayarathne seconded by Hon. Buddhika Pathirana moved,— That leave be granted to introduce the following Bill:— “Bill to incorporate the Foundation.” Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read the first time, and ordered to be printed. The Bill stood referred under Standing Order No. 47(5) of the Parliament to the Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare for Report.

6. Leave to introduce Bill : Hon. Kanaka Herath seconded by Hon. Sisira Jayakody moved,— That leave be granted to introduce the following Bill:— “Bill to incorporate the Study Centre for the Advancement of Technology and Social Welfare” Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read the first time, and ordered to be printed. The Bill stood referred under Standing Order No. 47(5) of the Parliament to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Report.

7. Adjournment (Irregularities in Issuance of Central Bank of Sri Lanka Treasury Bonds) : The Leader of the House of Parliament moved,— That this Parliament do now adjourn. Question proposed, and debated. (At 1.23 p.m. the Deputy Speaker took the Chair.)

The Minister of Higher Education and Highways moved,— That Hon. Mujibur Rahuman do take the Chair. Question put, and agreed to. (At 4.47 p.m. Hon. Mujibur Rahuman took the Chair.) (At 5.55 p.m. the Speaker took the Chair.) ( 12 ) M. No. 140 And it being 7.30 p.m. the Parliament was adjourned by the Speaker without question put. Accordingly the Parliament adjourned until 1.00 p. m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 pursuant to the Resolutions of Parliament of 09th January, 2017 and this day.